Signaling system.



J. POE.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1911.

1,022,260. Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN POE, OF GARFIELD, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOB S. RUSSUM, OF INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Pon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garfield, in the county of Benton, State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in signaling systems and, more particularly to that type adapted for use for signaling between a mail box and the owners house on rural mail routes and the object of my invention is to improve the construction and increase the efficiency of signaling systems of this character.

A further object of my invention is to provide a signaling system by means of which a signal can be communicated either from the house to the mail box or from the mail box to the house.

With these and other objects in view my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the drawings which show a preferred embodiment of my invention and then specifically pointed out in claim which is attached to and forms a part of this application.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my system in normal position, that is with no signals displayed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in position to display a signal at the mail box, and Fig. 3 is a like view showing the position of the parts when displaying a signal at the house.

Referring more specifically to the draw ings, in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout, my improved system will be seen to consist primarily of two parts, namely a mechanism which as a whole is designated by the numeral 1, and which is positioned adjacent the mail box and a mechanism indicated as a whole by the numeral 2 which is positioned adjacent the house, either of these mechanisms being adapted to serve as the actuating means of the other.

Referring more specifically to the former mechanism itwill be seen to consist of a post 3 which may be the post upon which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Serial No. 639,512.

the mail box is supported or another if desired and secured to the upper end of this post is a transversely extending plate 4 pivoted to which by one end is a semaphore arm or other suitable signaling device 5. In normal position this arm is inclined as shown in Fig. 1 and supported in this inclined position by means of a stop pin 6 secured upon one end of the plate 4, while secured upon the other end namely the end fart lziest removed from the house is a pul- Referring more particularly to the mechanism as has been designated previously by the numeral 2, said mechanism will be seen to consist of a second post 8 upon the upper end of which is secured a second plate 9. Secured to this plate is a second pulley 10 and secured to this pulley by one end and adapted to rotate therewith is a second semaphore arm 11.. If desired this second post and plate may be dispensed with and the pulley may be secured directly to the building the operation of the device being identical in either case.

A cable 12 has one end secured to the semaphore arm 5 and said cable extends from this arm and passes over the pulley 10 and is provided at its free end with a weight 13 which normally holds the arm 5 in the position shown in Fig. 1, the pulley 10 in the meantime being positioned so that the arm 11 extends downwardly as shown. A second cable 1 1 has one end secured to the arm 5 at a point opposite that at which the cable 12 is secured and this cable 14 passes over the pulley 7 and is provided at its free end with a second weight 15. These weights 13 and 15 are so proportioned that either one will act as a counter-weight to exactly balance the other. Each of the semaphore arms is provided intermediate its length with a knob or handle 16 by means of which it may be readily moved.

In operation if a person at the house wishes to display a signal at the mail box the semaphore arm 11 which in normal position points downwardly is turned which also turns the pulley 10 and because of the frictional engagement between the cable 12 and the pulley due to the strain of the weights this turning of the pulley will raise the weight 13 by which means the arm 5 is raised to position as shown in Fig. 2, the

weight 16 taking up the slack in the cable 12 and raising the arm 5. If a display of a signal at the house is desired the arm 5 may be turned to the position as shown in Fig. 3 in which position the arm 11 will be raised as shown. Upon swinging either of the arms back to normal position the other arm is correspondingly moved.

From the above description it will be ap parent that I have provided a signaling sys tem which is simple and economical in construction and which will operate through any required distance. In employing this system for long distance signaling however it is better to replace the pulley 10 by a rotatably mounted sprocket and to insert a sprocket chain in the cables to co-act with the sprocket as the friction between the cable and pulley might not under these circumstances be suflicient to insure the turning of the latter.

It will be understood however that such slight changes and modifications may be made without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is A signaling system comprising a swingingly mounted semaphore arm, a rotatably mounted pulley, a second semaphore arm secured to said pulley and adapted to turn therewith, a cable having one end secured to the first mentioned semaphore arm intermediate its length, said cable being extended to pass over the pulley and provided at its free end with a weight, a second cable secured to the first mentioned semaphore arm and extending in a direction opposite to that of the first mentioned cable, a pulley over which said cable is passed, and a weight secured to the free end of said second cable.

In testimony whereof,I afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN POE. lVitnesses:

ENTAI-I MABURN, GEORGE WV. VANSANDT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D, G. 

